Two Ships Series
by Lady Chipmunk
Summary: REPOST--Willow meets an interesting guy.
1. Two Ships Passing

Title: Two Ships Passing  
  
Author: Lady Chipmunk  
  
Rating: PG 13 or so  
  
Pairing: W/Severus  
  
Disclaimer: Not mine. Buffy belongs to Joss and assorted others, HP to JK Rowling.  
  
Oz had left, her friends were too busy or fed up with her mood to deal with her emotional turmoil, and her grades were slipping. Willow officially had nothing to hold on to or to hope for, or at least that's what her heart said. Rationally she knew she was just depressed, and that things would look up, and the pain would pass, but it seemed like that time was so far away, and what if it didn't happen, and-  
  
Her train of thought was cut off as she ran into something.  
  
On looking up she discovered it was a man. A gorgeous, scowling, black- robed man who was apparently saying something to her.  
  
"I'm sorry." Willow murmured while pulling herself out of her thoughts. "I'm afraid I didn't catch what you were saying."  
  
"I said," the man spat, exasperation soaking his tone, "could you tell me where the intersection of Pine and Cresent is?"  
  
Willow opened her mouth to answer when her irritation at his tone, and men in general thanks to Oz, got the better of her.  
  
"You want me to give you directions, do you a favor, and you're all snotty. It would serve you right if I just walked away and left you lost, or.or gave you wrong directions or something!"  
  
She watched him grit his teeth. "If you will not help me after so rudely running into me I will find someone with more manners and brains to direct me."  
  
"Whoa! You did not just insult me, Mr.-Tall-Dark-and- Creepy."  
  
"My name is Severus. You may call me Snape if you must refer to me as anything. Now if you will excuse me-"  
  
"Nope. You insulted me and I'm not leaving you alone until you apologize."  
  
"Apologize! Why you obnoxious little twit-"  
  
"I'll have you know I'm considered one of the smarter people around here!"  
  
"No wonder the United States is such a mess. May I go now?"  
  
"Sorry, Sevvy. No apology, no leaving."  
  
With a growl the man tried to brush past her. She linked her arm through his and practically made him drag her.  
  
"Let go!" he demanded.  
  
"Are you sorry?"  
  
"I'm certainly sorry I ever asked for your help."  
  
"That's a shame. You're kind of cute. Besides, Pine and Cresent is in the other direction."  
  
With that Willow let go and continued on her way home.  
  
Looking back once she saw the strange man staring at her in what she could only assume was annoyance. She walked the rest of the way with a smile on her lips. 


	2. Two Ships Colliding

Title: Two Ships Colliding  
  
Author: Lady Chipmunk  
  
Rated: PG13  
  
Pairing: W/Severus  
  
Disclaimer: BtVS belongs to Joss, HP to Rowlings. No money being made here  
  
Willow knocked on Giles's door wondering why he could possibly want her there at six in the morning. His phone call had sounded urgent though so she threw on some clothing and headed over. At least it was Saturday, so if the world was ending she wouldn't have to miss class.  
  
She tugged self-consciously at the edge of the shirt she had on. It was dark green and left her mid-drift completely bare. She must have grabbed something of Buffy's in her hurry to get dressed and now she was very uncomfortable.  
  
She became even more so when the door was opened by a man very much not Giles. By a man that was, in fact, Tall- Dark-and Creepy from last night, still in billowing black robes. She felt the color rise in her face. She'd been really rude to this guy, she'd gotten all snippy, and.and why was he wearing robes anyway, and at Giles's nonetheless.  
  
"Rupert," the man's silky voice broke Willow's mental babble, "there seems to be a strangely dressed statue on your doorstep. It's modelled after that annoying girl I told you about last night."  
  
All thoughts of apologizing flew out of Willow's head. How dare he! "Annoying? You're the one that was completely rude and insulting. What are you doing here anyway, Mr. I-Wanna-Be-Batman?"  
  
"Willow," Giles's voice came from behind the man blocking the doorway, "Professor Snape is my guest. Severus, would you be so kind as to let the dear girl in?"  
  
Snape moved slightly and Willow brushed past him with a mumbled thank you. He just closed the door.  
  
"Well, since you two have apparently met I suppose introductions aren't necessary."  
  
"Actually, I never did get her name. She didn't feel it necessary to introduce herself."  
  
"Yeah, Sevvy, cause you were being oh so charming and likeable. Right."  
  
Giles sighed. "That being the case, Severus, I'd like you to meet Willow Rosenberg. This is the student I mentioned in my letter."  
  
"You want me to teach this insufferable child? Rupert, you can't be serious!"  
  
"She needs magical training I can't give her. You're the only aquaintance from Hogwarts I could contact. You did agree to help, Severus."  
  
"Um, hello," Willow interjected, "standing right here."  
  
"Of course. My apologies, Willow. You mentioned wanting to learn more magical control, and Professor Snape teaches at a wizarding school and has agreed to help you over the summer."  
  
"Oh. So what, he's going to be sleeping on your couch all summer. Doesn't seem comfortable."  
  
"Actually, I thought since you two will be working so closely together he could stay with you. You are staying at home when school let out, right?"  
  
"Like hell I'm going to live with this pain!" Snape exclaimed.  
  
Giles watched Willow's expression meld into the famed Resolve Face as she glared at the scowling Snape. Giles just watched the two glare at each other and then pinched the bridge of his nose. "Bloody Hell." He whispered as the two continued to silently stare each other down.  
  
It was going to be a long summer. 


	3. Two Ships Converging

Willow broke eye contact first, but only to turn her glare on Giles. "I appreciate the gesture, Giles, but I don't think Sevvy and I are going to be able to work together.  
  
"Please stop calling me that insufferable nickname!"  
  
"Sure, I got plenty more anyway. See what I mean, Giles. He's awful."  
  
Snape pushed himself into the girl's face. "I'm awful? You are rude, annoying, and absolutely incapable of being taught anything!"  
  
"I am not!" Willow yelled. "I bet I'd be the best student you ever had."  
  
Giles say his opportunity and dove for it. "Quite correct, Willow. I suspect you would as well, but only if you can bring yourself to work with the Professor."  
  
"She's hopeless, Rupert. Even if she agreed."  
  
"So, Severus, you are saying you are not up to the challenge of teaching one bright and eager young lady?"  
  
"Of course I am. It's this Willow I won't teach."  
  
"Excuse me, but I happen to be an excellent student!" Willow interjected.  
  
"She is, Severus. But, if you can't handle it I will have to try to contact Lupin. Do you know where I could find him?"  
  
Snape growled. "I know what you're doing, Rupert."  
  
"Is it working?" Giles asked with a small smile.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Splendid. Willow, could you walk Snape to your home and get him settled?"  
  
"I haven't agreed to this."  
  
"You'll learn a great deal, and it will take your mind off of Oz. Trust me."  
  
"Who's Oz?" Snape questioned.  
  
"None of your damn business." Willow snapped. "Come on. We need to get you settled. You can sleep in my parents' room."  
  
"Won't they be in that room?"  
  
"They're in Paris for the summer."  
  
Snape nodded and looked the girl over. She truly was infuriating, but was that lonliness he say flash in her eyes?  
  
It seemed they had at least one thing in common. 


	4. Two Ships Dancing

Snape had been staying with the girl for two weeks now and was coming to the conclusion that other than Rupert she had no friends. Granted, some girl named Buffy had called today, but that had been to ask a favor. Apparently, this Buffy girl had needed someone to run to the store for her and grab groceries. Why she couldn't do it herself was beyond him, but not nearly so much of a mystery as why Willow had agreed.  
  
Severus was contemplating more of this mystery when that blasted phone thing rang again. True this was only the third or fourth time it had done that in his time here, but it annoyed him no end. Also, with Willow off shopping for the food requested, he was required to answer the bloody contraption. Gritting his teeth he lifted the bit Willow always spoke into.  
  
"What?" he snapped.  
  
"Um, yeah, uh, hi. Is Willow there?"  
  
"No."  
  
He went to hang up but the voice continued.  
  
"Um, well, could you tell her Xander called, Mr. Rosenberg?"  
  
"I am not Mr. Rosenberg!" Snape ground between his locked jaws.  
  
"Oh. Right. British accent, but not Giles. So who are you? You haven't done anything to Willow, have you? Cause if you have."  
  
"You'd what, Mr. Xander? Babble me to death? I'll relay your message. Good day." He hung up on the sputtering on the other end.  
  
***  
  
Willow reached her door to find Xander pounding on it. As she got closer she saw the side of his hand was starting to bruise.  
  
"Um, Xander, I'm not in there, so I can't answer."  
  
The boy whipped around and grabbed her into a tight embrace. "Willow, thank God! I thought you were dead!"  
  
Willow struggled in his arms. "Um, Xander, air becoming an issue."  
  
With a sheepish grin he released her. "Sorry. I was just so worried, Wills."  
  
Willow looked at him and raised an eyebrow. "Why?"  
  
At this Xander's face turned a pretty pink. "I realized today that I haven't been a very good friend. I mean I haven't talked to you in like a week."  
  
"Two."  
  
"Okay, two weeks. I just miss you and I wanted to make it up to you. Invite you out tonight to the Bronze, you know, party a bit, just some good old non-Hellmouth type quality time."  
  
"And this worried you?"  
  
"No, creepy evil voice guy answering your phone worried me."  
  
"Oh, that's just Sour Puss Snape. He's not terribly scary. Come in and you can meet him."  
  
"Sure." Xander walked in and came face to face with a glowering Severus Snape. Xander gulped and faced Willow.  
  
"You know, Wills, you've gotta be the bravest person I know if he's what you call not terribly scary. He's downright frightening."  
  
Willow could have sworn Snape almost smiled.  
  
Xander stayed for about half an hour and then the battle started. Willow invited Snape to the Bronze. She was determined the guy should get out of the house at least once over the summer. Plus, she wasn't sure she trusted him alone in her house all night. He'd probably turn her bed into an igloo just to irk her. The problem was he didn't want to come and was quite adamant. Which, of course, only made Willow want him to come all the more.  
  
Finally she lost her temper and all her semi- reasonable arguments about him needing to get out, and perhaps being a better teacher to muggle-born students if he understood them more degenerated into one irritated comment.  
  
"Look, Snapey, do you think just this once you could yank the broom out of your butt and pretend to have fun. I need you there tonight."  
  
"Whatever for? As I understand it all of your friends will be there." He smirked. She hated it when he smirked.  
  
"Yeah, well, Buffy will probably be hunting whatever cute guy strikes her fancy, unless Riley shows up, and Xander is bringing Anya who doesn't like me, so consider yourself my insurance against sitting at the table alone. Besides, if I leave you alone you'll probably blow up my house or something, and you still haven't figured out muggle food so you'd probably starve, not to mention-"  
  
"If I agree to go will you stop that infuriating babble?"  
  
"I'll try."  
  
"It's something. When do we leave?"  
  
Willow smiled. This might even be fun.  
  
***  
  
Severus was coming to the conclusion that being exposed to the Cruciatus curse was less painful than sitting in this smoky loud room with the incessant buzz of teenagers floating about. Why the bloody hell had he let that obnoxious girl convince him to come here? But, he knew the answer to that. He had felt sorry for her, had empathized with her obvious sense of isolation. This was what being a nice guy got him. No wonder he did it so infrequently.  
  
Beyond all that, Willow wasn't even enjoying herself. Her predictions of the evening had largely come true, Severus noted. Although, he figured even she hadn't counted on Buffy choosing him as her target of choice. It hadn't been on his agenda either. He truly wished the insipid little blond would just go away.  
  
"So, Sev," Buffy smiled at him in that grotesque way she apparently thought was charming, "how long are you going to be in the States? Awhile I hope."  
  
"Until the end of the summer." He replied perfunctorily.  
  
"Really? Well, if you get sick of staying with Giles my place has lots of room."  
  
"Thank you, but I am quite comfortable where I am."  
  
From the corner of his eye he saw a weak smile on Willow's lips. Apparently the irony of his statement had not been lost on her. Why in the world did Buffy just assume because he had a British accent that he was staying with Giles? She really was a silly little creature.  
  
"Well the offer stands. Hey, Willow, would you mind getting us some drinks?"  
  
Severus watched Willow stand and reached for her arm.  
  
"Please, let me. What would you like, Willow?"  
  
"I'll have a coke." Buffy spoke up.  
  
"How nice. And when exactly did you change your name to Willow?"  
  
"Severus-" Willow began.  
  
"Yes, yes, play nice. If you insist, though when we get home you will complete the potion as promised."  
  
"Yes, Sir Works-A-Lot"  
  
"When we get home?" Buffy asked somewhat shrilly. Snape ignored her. If Willow wanted to get into that she could. Personally, he'd be just as glad if Buffy didn't know where he was staying.  
  
"You didn't answer my question, Willow." He made sure not to allow her annoying nicknames get to him at the moment. Right now he just wanted to prove a point to Buffy, and bickering could only hinder that. "What would you like to drink?"  
  
"A coke is good." Willow muttered, not looking up from the table.  
  
"Fine."  
  
He returned to the table only moments later, but apparently Buffy had immediately interrogated Willow. The red head was sitting dejectedly as the blond glowered at her.  
  
Severus smirked as he watched Buffy's entire demeanor change when she saw him. The plastic smile was back and she jumped out of her seat. He ignored her and placed the single coke he had purchased in front of Willow. She didn't even look up. That's when Snape started to get angry. Sure Willow was bloody frustrating, but she certainly didn't deserve the treatment she was getting. He should know. He'd been there.  
  
"Sev," Buffy cooed, "would you like to dance?"  
  
"Actually, I would." Before Buffy could take his arm he had pulled Willow out of her seat and unto the floor.  
  
***  
  
Willow wasn't sure how she ended up in Severus's arms. She knew that Buffy had been flirting with him, and up until the drink crack he had seemed amused by it. It was Buffy, though so that was no surprise. All men wanted Buffy. But now she was being held close to him, his hands warm on her back and his silky voice in her ear. Wait! Voice? He was talking to her! She pulled herself out of her mental babble quickly.  
  
"I'm sorry. What?"  
  
"How eloquent. I said it would have been nice of you to rescue me from that piranha earlier."  
  
"Piranha? You mean Buffy? Most guys like Buffy."  
  
"Most of these 'guys' apparently have the brain cells of a stem of broccoli." He hissed. Willow was having trouble focusing on the words though. His breath was caressing her cheek, and those hands-She'd never really noticed how attractive he was before.  
  
"Um, well, uh, sorry. Didn't realize you were in need of rescuing." She managed to stammer. It had to be a slow song, didn't it?  
  
"It's going to be a very complicated potion this evening."  
  
Willow just swallowed. She wasn't quite sure what to say.  
  
"Really, you at least pretend to be able to speak normally. Has the remnants of your mental capacity completely ceased functioning?"  
  
Willow stiffened. He was insulting her again. Here she was actually thinking nice, if somewhat inappropriate, thoughts about him and he was insulting her!  
  
"You insult my best friend, drag me on the dance floor, have these incredibly wonderful hands, and a voice that feels like silk against my skin, and then you expect me to be coherent. Demanding much? Plus you insult me! Again! I don't care of you are incredibly sexy, or if you are making my head fuzzy-" She stopped suddenly as her words reached her. Oh God! Had she actually said all that? She felt the blood rush to her face. And he was just smirking. She really hated it when he did that.  
  
"Jeez, Snapey, think you could find a new expression. That one's getting old. And just because I have royally embarrassed myself is no reason for you to look so smug. It's not really you anyway, it just...just, well it's not. And I'll tell you another thing-"  
  
But, she didn't. Because Severus chose that moment to cut off her babbling. He kissed her. Willow found that as soon as his smooth lips touched hers there was just nothing more to say. 


	5. Two Ships Crashing

Severus was quite sure the Hellmouth was causing him to lose his mind. There was no other reason why he had kissed that annoying girl. It surely had nothing to do with that strange mix of strength and vulnerability that she portrayed. Nor was it related to the fact that other than being infuriating she was also beautiful and, he had to admit it, brilliant. Bloody wonderful! Now he was even babbling like she did. That woman was going to ruin him! He tried to ignore the small part of his mind that whispered otherwise, that she just might be the one to save him. He already knew he wanted to rescue her.  
  
At that moment the idea of rescue became horribly apt, but not for Willow. There was a knock on the door followed by Buffy and that Xander boy waltzing right in. Snape crossed his arms.  
  
"Excuse me, but do you two always just walk into someone else's home?"  
  
Xander blinked. "We knocked. Besides, I practically grew up here. Where's Wills?"  
  
Snape couldn't control the growl that came from deep in his throat. It was amusing to watch the boy's eyes widen and his face go pale. "Willow," Severus spat putting emphasis on the girl's proper name, "is still sleeping. I will tell her you stopped in when she wakes. Now, leave."  
  
"Actually," Buffy said with that coy lilt Snape found positively grating, "we're here to see you. Giles said you're a wizard."  
  
"Yes. I was aware of that fact. Will that be all?"  
  
"Um, no?" Xander's voice squeaked as he spoke and he was looking directly at Buffy. Snape heaved a heavy sigh.  
  
"I see. What exactly do you want, Ms. Summers? I have a great deal to do."  
  
"Yeah, I heard you were tutoring Wills. That's why you're staying here. I still think my place would be more.comfortable for you."  
  
"You've come to offer me a place to stay? Let me make this perfectly clear to even your vapid intellect. You are utterly repellent to me, Ms. Summers. You're excessive flirting and completely unsubtle seduction attempts do nothing but turn my stomach. That said, if you continue to bother me I will not be responsible for the consequences."  
  
"Whatever." Buffy rolled her eyes.  
  
"Um, actually," Xander mumbled, "I thought we were here to warn you to go slow with Willow." At this he actually met Snape's gaze. "I mean you kissed her and all, and she didn't seem to mind, so of the good-" Buffy mumbled something incoherent at this point. "But," Xander continued shooting the blond a glare, "Oz hurt her pretty bad when he walked out on her, so, you know, be careful. I just don't want to see her get hurt again."  
  
Severus nodded, silently reevaluating this boy. Perhaps there was some miniscule worth to him after all. "I assure you that I have no desire to hurt the girl. That is really all I can offer you."  
  
"Okay, it will do for now, but I warn you Willow's not the only one good with a shovel."  
  
"What?" Snape was lost.  
  
"Nevermind. Come on, Buffy."  
  
"I thought I'd stay and talk to Sev for a minute."  
  
"Give it up, Buffy. He doesn't want you. Lets go." With that Xander dragged the startled blond out the door. Snape locked it behind them.  
  
***  
  
Willow couldn't help it. From her perch on the stairs she had heard most of the conversation and the look on Snape's face as he turned from the door just pushed her over the edge. She laughed.  
  
She didn't stop laughing until she heard the potions master clear his throat both loudly and violently. Then she looked up and met his angry scowl. Suddenly it didn't seem so funny.  
  
He stood at the foot of the stairs with his arms crossed. Willow could only look down at him and blush. "Sorry. I just thought it was amusing."  
  
"That much was obvious, though why you find inflicting your insipid friends on me amusing-"  
  
"Hey! They are not insipid, well maybe Buffy is sometimes, but that's not the point, and I did not 'inflict' them on you. They came all by themselves to see you!"  
  
Snape crossed his arms. "Perhaps, but that is no reason to laugh at my expense. They'd have not found visiting necessary were it not for you. Not to mention I would never have had to meet that Buffy had you not dragged me to that place."  
  
Willow stomped down a few stairs so that she could look Severus in the eye. "There was no dragging. Maybe an inordinate amount of begging, but you went under your own power, Bub!"  
  
He nodded. "True enough. Now, shall we get to work?"  
  
"That's it. You're letting me win?"  
  
"You had a valid point for once. Also, I feel no need to continue such a pointless conversation when we have a great deal of material to cover." He started to turn from her but she grabbed the sleeve of his robe.  
  
"Aren't we going to talk about last night?" She noticed he wasn't meeting her eyes anymore.  
  
"What about it?"  
  
"You kissed me!" Willow snapped as she forced his face up to look at hers.  
  
"I did." His face was carefully blank, but she thought she saw shadows of something moving behind them.  
  
"And you don't think we should talk about this?"  
  
"There's nothing to discuss. It happened, it's over. We have other business to attend to right now."  
  
Willow felt her jaw drop. "How can you say that? What, was it just some game to you, did you do it just to prove you had some hold over me? What is wrong with you? I mean-"  
  
Severus sighed and put a finger to her lips. "What is wrong with me, Willow, is that I have two months to teach you everything I can about the wizarding world and how to control your magics. I can not afford to be distracted from that task."  
  
Willow ripped his hand away from her mouth. "And I get no say in this? That's it. You've decided it's over before it started and you don't give a damn about my opinion."  
  
"I didn't say that. I said we have a great deal of work to do in a short amount of time. Therefore, discussion of this can wait until later, though I feel there is nothing to say-"  
  
Willow took a deep breath. "Do you want to pursue what you started with that kiss?" She watched the almost concealed emotions flicker in his eyes. So he was confused too. Good. It served him right.  
  
"I find you utterly annoying and thoroughly unfathomable. Your tendency to babble can be infuriating and I don't think we've ever had a single civilized conversation."  
  
Willow smiled. "You didn't answer my question."  
  
"I most certainly did!" He scowled at her. "If you are incapable of extracting an answer from my reply then that is your deficiency, not mine."  
  
"Can the defense mechanism, Mr. I-Can't-Give-A- Straight-Answer. Yes or no, do you want to pursue this?  
  
Snape took a deep breath and she was sure he was going to launch into another tirade of quips and insults. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out, and she found herself lost in his dark eyes. Finally she felt more than heard his whispered response.  
  
"Yes. Merlin help me, but I do want to pursue this."  
  
Willow nodded. "Your right. There really is nothing to say." She might have felt bad about the hurt look that crossed his face had she not been too busy launching herself into his arms.  
  
Their second kiss was more fervent and longer than the first, but just as sweet. 


	6. Two Ships Departing

Willow couldn't sleep. She just kept thinking about how quickly her time with Severus had run out. It had been a glorious summer full of learning and love and all sorts of other good "L" words, but now the big nasty horrible "L" word had shown its fangs. In three days Severus would be leaving. She didn't want him to go. She loved him.  
  
Yeah, she thought bitterly, and did you bother to tell him that? No, you were too scared, and you wanted him to say it first, 'cause then you would know that you weren't just a fling since he's so much older, but you never told him, and now you can't because it'll just make him feel bad. And why hadn't he said 'I love you"? He seems like he does, his eyes are so expressive and those kisses, you just can't kiss a girl like that if there isn't something there, ans he's so not the type to have a fling, and---  
  
And you need to get some sleep, Willow. The love of your life is going to be waking you early for another lesson-and there was the problem, in the last week he had been so focused on teaching that they had barely had their personal relationship. Willow was sure she had done something and he had lost interest.  
  
Sometime before she finally fell asleep the tears stopped.  
  
***  
  
She was awoken by the pounding on her door. The clock read 6:05. With a groan she buried her head under the pillow.  
  
"Willow, I know you can hear me. You promised to take these lessons. Now come out here immediately, you obnoxious little lay-about."  
  
Willow smiled faintly. They had been together all summer and still hadn't had a civilized conversation. The verbal sparring was just too much a part of how they communicated. She dragged herself out of bed and trudged to the door in her pink kitten pajamas.  
  
"Severus, how on Earth do you expect me to process information at this ungodly hour? Are you really so disconnected with reality?"  
  
"Apparently." Then he leaned in and kissed her gently. "Also, that damn Buffy was calling all night. She keeps giving me reasons why you and I won't work out in the guise of trying to save you pain. The girl does not take rejection well, does she?"  
  
"Looks that way. Before now I don't think it had happened before. Well, Scott broke up with her, but that was a bit different, and at least he wanted her at first, and so I-"  
  
He placed a finger on her lips. "Shh."  
  
"I like your other way of keeping me from babbling better."  
  
He growled. "We do have work to do, you know. Now come on."  
  
Willow headed into the livingroom and started absorbing all the stuff Severus threw at her. After four hours she was starting to get annoyed. He was doing the professor thing again and acting like he wasn't even her boyfriend. The final straw was that he scowled when she tried to kiss him. She lost it.  
  
"Alright, Mr. Can't-Be-Bothered-to-Kiss-My-Girlfriend, what the hell is going on? You've been distant for days now, you won't let up on the lessons, and I would think.I would." she started to cry, "think that you'd.you'd want to spend more time with me, I mean." she sniffled, "that is, that you'd, well, that there'd be more us. I mean you're leaving, and.and."  
  
Severus sat next to her and pulled her into his lap. "I am leaving, Willow, and that is why I am pushing you so hard."  
  
Willow looked into his dark eyes and saw some of her pain reflected there. Which was nice, but it didn't make what he said make any more sense. "Okay, Sevvy, I'm going to have to give you a resounding huh on that one."  
  
He did something that completely shocked her. He chuckled. She'd never heard him do that. A wry laugh maybe, and she had gotten more smiles than he had given in his life before her, or so he said. But, he had never, never chuckled. It was endearing. It also pissed her off  
  
"What? You think this is funny, huh, Snapey? You think this is all some big joke? Make poor little Willow fall desperately in love with you and then just work her to death and walk out-"  
  
"What did you say?" Snape asked. Willow could hear the wonder in his voice even if she hadn't watched the awe invade his features.  
  
"I asked if you thought this was funny."  
  
"After that."  
  
"It's not important. It obviously doesn't matter to you-"  
  
"I love you too, Willow. More than I thought possible. And I wasn't laughing at the situation, only the bizarre and endearing terminology you used. I have no idea how anyone can be so annoying and appealing at the same time."  
  
Willow didn't even process his words after the first sentence. He loved her! He'd said it! Which really, when she thought about it just made his statement before that make even less sense. She was so confused.  
  
"Okay, so we love each other. This is very of the good, but then why more with the learning and less with the loving? You make no sense."  
  
"No, I simply neglected to inform you of something rather important. You see, I want you to come with me back to Hogwarts-"  
  
Willow screeched. He was asking her to go with him! Really! But, what would she do? She was too old to be a student, and she had her friends, and, and. And she couldn't think of a single other reason not to go. Well, there were her college classes, but they had schools in England, and-"  
  
"Willow, do you think you could pull yourself away from whatever you are mentally babbling about long enough to give me some idea if I am getting my heart broken or not?"  
  
"What? Oh, no! No, no, no, and emphatically no!" She was horrified to see Severus's face collapse. Where those tears in his eyes? Why was he about to cry? Then she replayed what she had said. Her own eyes widened in horror. "That's not what I meant! I meant not heartbreaking, no breaking the Sev of any kind. Of course I want to go with you. But-"  
  
A brilliant smile shown on her love's face before it was replaces by his usual smirk. "No buts then. We have a lot to do if you are going to be sufficiently caught up to teach at Hogwarts."  
  
"Teach? Me? No. I mean, I don't even have a wand, and what could I teach anyway, I really don't know enough and even your first year students know more, and."  
  
"Bloody hell, Willow! Breath before you pass out. Dumbledore owled last week to ask of I would mind him offering you the Defense Against the Dark Arts position. Not that he's ever bothered if I minded before."  
  
"But I know so little and-"  
  
"Don't even start again. If you take the job you will start with teaching the students how to identify the bad creatures, as well as more mundane ways of dealing with them. You are perfectly qualified to do that. You've damn near talked me into a coma a few times when you have been researching, and I've seen you on patrols, remember? Also, you will continue private lessons with the other professors. We will also buy you a wand. Now, don't even open your mouth, just nod or shake your head. Do you want to come with me to Hogwarts?"  
  
Willow nodded.  
  
Snape took her into his arms and kissed her forehead gently. "Then we have a lot of work to do. I suggest you get back to studying the polyjuice potion."  
  
Willow smiled. It was all going to be okay. She'd miss Xander, but he could probably visit. What mattered was that she got to stay with Severus, and more importantly that he loved her. Looking at his smirking face with the shining eyes she wondered how she ever could have doubted. 


End file.
